Races
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Thomas and Percy get a run for their money when Bertie and Harold race them again.


Everybody on the Island of Sodor remembers Thomas and Bertie's Great Race, and most people also remember Percy and Harold's. But Thomas and Percy often boast about it, saying the races are "grand events."

The engines were getting ready for work one morning as Thomas and Percy were boasting about to Gordon, Henry, and James.

"You don't understand, Gordon. My Great Race was one event Sodor will remember forever!" Thomas beamed. Henry and James exchanged a look as Gordon rolled his eyes.

"Little Thomas, little Thomas... Will you ever learn? Races are nonsense." snorted Gordon.

"Oh, so the races you have with Spencer are nonsense then? I would've guessed." chortled Henry. Gordon glared at the green engine and blew steam at him.

"That's different. He challenges me to the races!"

"How is that different? Oh, forget it. You're clearly not going to listen..." grumbled Henry.

"Besides," Thomas continued modestly, "Spencer always beats you. I, at least, beat something." This made Gordon very cross, but before he could reply, Percy chimed in.

"Don't forget my race with Harold. I beat a helicopter. Imagine that! Shame you've never beat anything in your life, Gordon." Percy chuckled as he set off to work. Thomas quickly followed before Gordon could say anything.

"What a load of rubbish..." he grumbled to James.

"It's kind of funny in my opinion," joked James.

"Oh, stow it James!" and Gordon puffed off to collect the express.

Later, Percy was passing by Dyraw Airfield with some trucks. He began humming his victory song that his crew made up for him after he won the race all those years ago.

"What's that tune there, Percy?" asked Harold curiously, "It sounds rather cheery." Percy grinned cheekily.

"Oh, yes it is cheery. It's my victory song, you see, after I beat you in that little race we had. The one back in 1956." Percy laughed and went on his way. Harold was cross.

"How dare him! Helicopters are better than engines. Everybody knows that."

At Knapford, James was waiting impatiently for Bertie. His plan was to tell Bertie what Thomas had said.

"It'll serve Thomas right," he thought. Bertie panted up, about as red as James' paint.

"Sorry, James. There was a traffic jam at the intersection down the road." he said anxiously. James paid no attention and told Bertie all about what Thomas had said. When he had finished, Bertie was looking rather cross.

"What rubbish! I'll give that cheeky engine a piece of mind when I next see him!" James' passengers boarded the red bus and Bertie drove away as James smirked with triumph.

"That'll show 'im." he said to nobody in particular.

An hour later, Thomas was happily waiting at Ffarquhar with Annie and Clarabel, feeling pleased with himself when a familiar red bus drove up alongside.

"Oh, hello Bertie." smiled Thomas, but Bertie wasn't smiling.

"I've heard what you said this morning to the big engines. I challenge you to a rematch!" Thomas was surprised.

"How'd... Uh, I mean, I didn't say anything. However, a rematch sounds fun."

"Hold on, Thomas. We can't race today. We've got passengers to deliver." reminded his driver. "Pah!" scoffed Thomas, "There's plenty of time!" His driver sighed and started him up.

"So, are we on?" asked Bertie.

"You bet!" replied the E2 and the race began.

At first, Thomas was ahead, but Bertie was determined not to let Thomas beat him this time. So he charged left onto a different street.

"Bother! Now I can't see where he's going..." muttered Thomas.

"Don't worry, we'll see him at the level crossing." replied his two coaches.

Thomas brightened up, and flew past the open gates of a level crossing. But his joy soon turned to anger as he could see a broken signal up ahead.

"Oh, no!" groaned Thomas as he stopped.

"Sorry, but this signal's out for repairs. You'll have to wait," said a workman. Thomas was furious as Bertie popped out of a tunnel.

"I'm so glad us buses don't have to deal with signals!" he chortled as he past. Thomas was too cross to say anything.

Meanwhile, Percy and Toby were shunting trucks at the quarry when the familiar buzz of a helicopter began to be audible.

"Harold!" exclaimed Percy as Harold buzzed right above him.

"Hello, chap. Would you like to race me to the Docks? I've got nothing else to do."

"Alright then. I've got this train to take anyway." Percy smirked. Harold buzzed away, and Percy followed with his stone trucks.

"Percy, racing isn't a good idea!" called Toby, "The trucks may get cross!" but Percy had already left.

"Come along trucks. No nonsense. No nonsense," said Percy as he thundered along the rails.

The trucks got tired of being bossed about by Percy.

"We'll show the green caterpillar!" giggled the trucks and they held back Percy with all of their might. The trucks giggled as they felt Percy try to catch up to speed.

"Stop it! Behave!" cried Percy, but the trucks, as trucks typically do, didn't listen. At last, Percy halted and he found it hard to move again.

"Stupid trucks..." he muttered. Percy heaved, but the trucks' brakes were on full force, and Percy couldn't move them. Harold smiled as he flew into the Docks first.

"Ha, ha! What fun that was!" he chuckled as he headed off for the airfield.

At the broken signal, Thomas knew Bertie had won. He sighed and waited. "Done!" called a workman as he clambered down a ladder. Thomas quickly set off for Elsbridge. Donald was waiting crossly for Thomas to arrive when the tank engine puffed wearily in, to find a red bus grinning at him.

"Thomas, I thought you could got fast!" chuckled Bertie.

"I'm too late..." Thomas groaned.

"Ye bet yer buffers ye are." grumbled Donald, "I hate to wait a half hour just for ye to arrive!" The passengers boarded Donald's train and he puffed crossly away, leaving a very silly Thomas to think over what had happened.

That night, Toby couldn't help chuckling as Thomas and Percy backed into the sheds at Ffarquhar.

"Stupid signals..." muttered Thomas, "It's not fair."

"I agree," added Percy, "Trucks are very troublesome indeed."

"You just realized that?" said Toby, "I personally think it serves you right for being such crosspatches." Thomas and Percy looked from side to side anxiously.

"Hopefully, you've learned your lesson." added the brown tram and Thomas and Percy did. They agreed to never boast about their races again.


End file.
